The University of Tennessee Department of Nuclear Engineering

09/15/2026

The Nuclear Engineering Department was delighted to host its largest PicNuke welcome event ever, with more than 200 students in attendance and opportunities for our new students to meet representatives from student groups, local industry, and our faculty. We gratefully acknowledge our sponsors of the PicNuke: Y-12/Consolidated Nuclear Security, TVA, and Radiant. 🧡

The fall enrollment in Nuclear Engineering includes 466 undergraduate students and 160+ graduate students, and we are delighted to be within the epicenter of Nuclear in TN!

09/11/2026

The US Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF Global) hosted approximately 12 mid- to senior-level government, industry, and academic representatives from Slovakia for a 10-day technical study tour across Washington, DC; Knoxville, Tennessee; Ottawa; and Toronto.

The delegation was in Knoxville and visited TVA, Watts Bar, and Kairos on Thursday, September 3, followed by the ETEC member meeting and the UTK Department of Nuclear Engineering on Friday, September 4.

09/09/2026

Prof. Livia Casali joined the Organization of Agreement States Annual Meeting to discuss how to Advance Radiation Safety through State Cooperation in Nuclear Fusion.

Her contribution focused on fusion safety, radiation shielding, workforce development, and building the fusion expertise needed for the safe deployment of future fusion energy systems.

08/28/2026

Professor and UT-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Nuclear Materials, Steven Zinkle, and Professor Nick Brown were recently quoted in a Nature news article about developing different types of reactors, fuels, coolants, and materials that could help make fission the zero-carbon energy technology of choice.

Read the article:

Shadowed by past disasters, nuclear engineers are developing different types of reactor, fuel, coolant and material that could help to make fission the zero-carbon energy technology of choice.

08/20/2026

Postdoctoral researcher Madeline Lockhart has been selected to receive the American Nuclear Society’s Glenn T. Seaborg Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship.

As an ANS Congressional Fellow, Lockhart will be one of nearly 30 scientists and engineers who participate annually in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Congressional Science and Engineering Fellowship Program.

More on the fellowship: https://bit.ly/4xaJ3pP

08/19/2026

Congratulations to NE Garett Miller on receiving a Lab Safety Culture Award!

08/17/2026

Linzee Phillips Hensley is starting her first class in the Department of Nuclear Engineering’s accredited medical physics program. However, thanks to the program’s unique design, she has already spent two months gaining hands-on clinical experience in radiation oncology with a clinical team at Tennova Healthcare. Learn more at the link below!

🔗 https://bit.ly/3Sf4FSL

08/14/2026

and faculty from the University of Tennessee Tickle College of Engineering participated in the inaugural Fusion Innovation Bootcamp, a two-week entrepreneurship and innovation-focused training program, held at Tennessee State University.

FIB gave students the chance to engage with fusion industry professionals, national lab researchers, and university facilities through lectures, panels, hands-on sessions, and pitch presentations. Learn more at the link below!

🔗 https://bit.ly/4wjU5YF

08/13/2026

Join UT Nuclear Engineering in welcoming our new graduate ! 🧡 This marks the beginning of an exciting chapter filled with learning, discovery, collaboration, and opportunities to make an impact in nuclear science. We can't wait to witness and assist in all you accomplish.

Welcome to the Volunteer family!

08/04/2026

Brian Wirth is featured in episode four of "The Nuclear Option", a documentary produced by CNA. Wirth discusses how new fuels and materials can shape the future of nuclear energy, making it safer and more viable.

WATCH:

TVA Nuclear Engineering Department Chair Brian Wirth is featured in Episode 4 of The Nuclear Option, a documentary discussing how new fuels and materials can shape the future for nuclear energy.